Tops Landscaping-fact Sheet 002-Tree Planting

Fact sheet for anyone planting a tree, comprehensive guide with full pictorial rundown on initial site selection, site preparation, watering in, building soil mound, fertilizing, mulching down and installation of watering system

13. Backfill the hole you dug earlier with one barrow load of soil then add a further 4 barrow loads of soil onto the cardboard emplaced in step 11. Soil utilised should have approximately the same consistency and fertilizer ratio that was used in step 12 above.

14. Spread good organic fertilizer over the top of the mound you have constructed

15. Use a fork to thoroughly turn the fertilizer into the mound. You should aim to dig the mound down to a depth of approximately 0.3m

16. Dig a well at the top of the mound and fill with water till it will take no more, approx. 50L used here. This may seem like a lot of water however the more utilised at this stage the better the quality of the final planting and the greater the chance that you tree will survive to live, thrive and give you great production in the years ahead

17. Grab your tree for plantout which you have soaked overnight in a mix of rainwater to worm farm leachate at a ratio of 10 to 1. This will minimise plant stress and ensure better initial root development

18. Pour the remainder of the rainwater and work farm leachate into the hole.

19. Gently remove the tree from the pot, tease out its roots and emplace central in the hole .

20. Backfill with soil so top of soil ball is at the same level as the mound top. Water in thoroughly